Combined flashlight and compass



April 8 19410 L E HAWK$ 2.233.953

' I COMBINED FLASHLIGHT AND COMPASS Filed March 18, 1939 Mydm/QZMS ATTOR NEYS ntenied' Apr. 8; i941- UNITED STATES PATENT- -OFFI 2,237,963 common rulsmmen'r AND comass Lloyd E. Hawks, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Application March: 18, 1939, Serial No. 262,690 I 3 Claims. The present invention relates to a new and improved combined flashlight and compass.

An important object of the invention resides in the provision .of a compass especially adapted for day or night use whereby the finding of true north is readily accomplished for determining a location or to march a course between two predetermined stations.- l

ii. iurther object of the invention resides in the provision oi a housing mounted at right angles to the casing of a flashlight and having remov ably and rotatably mounted thereon an illuminated compass dial, said dial iorming a part'oi a traversing head which is provided with a ratchet rina, suitably graduated with notches for encasement with a spring mounted in the lamp housing to provide an audible means for indicating the degree of rotation of the traversing head.

The invention will be fully and comprehensiveiy understood from a consideration of the followi detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part oi the application. v i

in the drawing: 1 Flame 1 is a top plan view of a combined flashconductor plate i 5 adapted to be contacted by the slidable switch element 23 to complete the circuit for illuminating the bulb l1, said switch element .23 moving within a slot 24 formed in the casing 9 and actuated by means of a switch button 25. Thus it will be seen that the illuminating element carried by the housing it is operated independently of the illuminating head it but from the same source of electrical energy. In addition to illuminating the compass dial, the bulb ll will also heat the needle compartment enough to prevent the needle bearing from sticking or freezing when using the device in cold weather.

The projecting end of the housing it is threaded as indicated at 26 for receiving the traversing head generally designated at El. Within the housing i l and adjacent the threaded portion 28 there is provided'a clicking device in the form of a spring 28 having one end riveted or otherwise secured at 29 to the housing and the opposite end formed .with a knob 3d projecting through the housing as more clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing and for a purpose to be hereinhabit and compass embodying the features of the present invention.

liaure a is a fragmentary transverse sectional view thereoi'.

l iirure i is a detail sectional view taken sub stantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2. i iaure i is a detail sectional view taken substantially on line 1-4 0! Figure l, and

"7-2 graduations each representing 5.

after described.

'Ihetraversing head ll supports therein a translucent dial 3|, one face thereof having engagement with the annular shoulder 32 formed on the head and being held thereagainst by means oi an annular spring ll. The dial 3! is suitably graduated being preferably formed with A needle 34 is iournalled in suitable bearings 3% carried by r the dial 3| and is equipped with a mechanical Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the device.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, there is illustrated a flashliaht b including a casing 9 and illuminating end it which end supports the conventional bulb lens and reflector. Current is supplied to the illuminatina head by means of a plurality of dry cell batteries ii disposed in series with the contact and it of the foremost battery electrically associated with the contact end of the bulb in the head ill and controlled by a suitable switch lenerally designated by the reference numeral l3.

The illuminated compass extends at right an ales to the casing 9 and includes a housing M integrally mounted at right angles to the casing,

or welded or otherwise secured thereto. Within the housing M there is disposed a conductorplate ili carrying a socket It for receiving a lamp bulb ll. vThe conductor plate I! is suitably lnaulated as indicated at I! irom which projects a contacting element I! having connection with the contacting end oi the lamp bulb ll. Cin'rent needle arrester 36 operated from the outer portion of the dial by means of the knurled disc 31, it being understood that rotation 01' the disc ill brings the arrester 36 into and out of engagement with the needle 34 to arrest and permit motion or the same. A glass cover E is suitably mounted within the head ill ior'protecting the dial and needle .while maintaining said parts readily Visible. I

The traversing head ll is formed with a threaded portion at for engagement with the threaded portion 25 of the housing it for retaming said head in position. As is to be under stood the threaded portion extends circumierentially oi the head. to permit said head to rotate on the housing. The traversing head 27 is supplied to the contacting element 1! iron: 7

the battery H by means of the conductingwire N which extends through suitable insulation It along the casing 9 and within the housing ll. A

second contacting member 22 projects from the 5 limit of rotation. During the fabrication of the traversing head the dial 3| is disposed in a manner whereby the north, east, south and west indicators are in line with corresponding deeper notches it formed in the traversing head, one of which is indicated in Figure 3 of the drawing. Thus in rotating and positioning the head on the housing, it will be a relatively simple matter to place the north and south indicators of the dial in line with the axis of the casing 9 and the east and west indicators of the dial at right angles to said casing since the notches for north, east, south and west are noticeably deeper than the other notches. I

To march a course from, for example, station A to station B, the bearing of which is N 30 E, the procedure by day is as follows: The traversing head is first set with north and south indicators in line with the axis of the casing with the north pointing in a forward direction which position is easily found from the deep ratchet notch for north. The traversing head 2'! is then rotated to the left or counter-clockwise 6 notches which sets ofi 30 and as the traversing head is rotated the clicking noise willindicate each individual notch of rotation. The compass needle is then released and the entire device is oriented until the indicator N is under the north pole of the needle at which time the axis of the casing points N 30 E and therefore toward station B.

To determine a course by day from, for example, station A to the next visible point, the flashlight tube is first pointed in the direction of the next point on the march. The compass needle is then released and the traversing head rotated until the indicator N is under the north pole of the needle and while rotating the head noting the number of notches passed from north, east or west, or south, east or west for bearing of the line.

To march or determine a course by night, the switch 25 is first actuated to illuminate the compass dial 335 and the procedure is substantially the same as that described above with the beam of light denoting the marching direction and the bearing of any distant object within its range may be established in the manner above indicated.

It is to be understood that the illuminating head It and traversing head 21 are readily interchangeable whereby the forward end of the flashlight may be employed for supporting the compass and the housing l4 carrying the illumination for the direction of the travel.

inabove described device involving .the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended .to be comprehended within the spirit. of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims. I

What is claimed is:

1. In. combination with an electric flashlight having a casing adapted to receive a source of electrical energy and illuminating means carried on one end thereof, of a direction indicating means comprising a housing carried by said casing and extending at substantially right angles thereto, illuminating means within said housing, a traversing headmounted on said housing, said head including a compass indicating dial and needle adapted to be illuminated by said means, a spring-like member carried by said housing and having one end thereof projecting through said housing, and means comprising vertically disposed notches formed in said traversing head The removable end ll of the casing 9 is provided with a spring-like receptacle 42 for sup porting a spare lamp bulb 43 to be used as a replacement for a burned out bulb in either the illuminating head or the traversing head.

It is also to be understood that the illuminating head it is to be provided with a clicking device substantially the same as the spring member 28 previously described with the removable head also formed with graduated notches.

If desired a clipB may be attached to the easadapted to be contacted by said spring to provide an audible clicking device as said head is rotated on said housing when setting said compass.

2. In combination with an electricflashlight having a casing adapted to receive a source of electrical energy and illuminating means carried on one end thereof, of a direction indicating means comprising a housing integral with said casing and extending at substantially right angles thereto, illuminating and heating means within said housing, a rotatable head mounted on said housing, said head including a'compass indicating dial and needle adapted to be illuminated by said means, said dial having graduations thereon,

1 vertically disposed notches formed in said head in line with the graduations of said dial, certain of said notches being of greater depth to indicate electrical energy and illuminating means carried on one end thereof, of a direction indicating means comprising a housingintegml with said casing andextenoling at substantially right angles therein, illuminating and heating means within said housing, a rotatable head mounted v on said housing, said head including a compass indicating dial and needle adapted to be illuminated by said means, said dial having graduations ing 9 for securely retainingthe device in the user's pocket or for suspending the same from. a belt or the like. Y J

Also it will be understood, or course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the herethereon, vertically disposed notches formed in said head in line with the graduations of said dial, certain of said notches being 01' greater depth to indicate certain points or said compass and means carried by said casing and cooperating. with said notchesto provide an audible indieating means as said head is rotated, said means including a; spring-like member having one end attached within said housing and the other end projecting through said housing for contact with said notches. r V LDOYD E. HAWKE 

